chant

American  

[chant, chahnt] / tʃænt, tʃɑnt /

Obsolete, chaunt

noun

1. a short, simple melody, especially one characterized by single notes to which an indefinite number of syllables are intoned, used in singing psalms, canticles, etc., in church services.

2. a psalm, canticle, or the like, chanted or for chanting.

3. the singing or intoning of all or portions of a liturgical service.

4. any monotonous song.

5. a song; singing.

   the chant of a bird.

6. a monotonous intonation of the voice in speaking.

7. a phrase, slogan, or the like, repeated rhythmically and insistently, as by a crowd.

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verb (used with object)

1. to sing to a chant, or in the manner of a chant, especially in a church service.

2. to sing.

3. to celebrate in song.

4. to repeat (a phrase, slogan, etc.) rhythmically and insistently.

verb (used without object)

1. to sing.

2. to utter a chant.

chant British  

/ tʃɑːnt /

noun

1. a simple song or melody

2. a short simple melody in which several words or syllables are assigned to one note, as in the recitation of psalms

3. a psalm or canticle performed by using such a melody

4. a rhythmic or repetitious slogan, usually spoken or sung, as by sports supporters, etc

5. monotonous or singsong intonation in speech

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verb

1. to sing or recite (a psalm, prayer, etc) as a chant

2. to intone (a slogan) rhythmically or repetitiously

3. to speak or say monotonously as if intoning a chant

Other Word Forms

• chantable adjective
• chanting noun
• chantingly adverb
• half-chanted adjective
• unchanted adjective

Etymology

Origin of chant

First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English chanten, from Middle French chanter, from Latin cantāre, frequentative of canere “to sing”; (noun) from French chant, from Latin cantus; canto

Example Sentences

"He loved the Barmy Army, the singing and the chanting," says Paul.

From BBC

That was the first of four match darts he missed in that leg, but he got the job done in the next, to the delight of the Alexandra Palace crowd who chanted his name throughout.

From BBC

Three lyric lines are chanted throughout: “Give the people what they want / When they want / And they wants it all the time.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In one video, demonstrators could be heard chanting “azadi,” the Farsi word for freedom.

From The Wall Street Journal

It added that some protesters on Monday "chanted slogans".

From Barron's

Related Words

• hymn
• mantra
• melody
• shout
• singing
• tune